This is the last time
by Megakari13
Summary: Neji Hyuga fanfic...


A sigh escaped my lips as I reached over for the last branch on the tree, my fingers wiggled and stretched as if it would make them longer and I could reach it. The branch finally resided in my palm and I used the strength I had left to pull myself up and into a sitting position on the tree branch. Where I was standing I could see the whole village. The Hidden Leaf Village. I recently moved in a week ago after meeting with some complications (Complications that my mother refused to tell me about) at my previous home.

It looked gorgeous, the soft lights radiating from the buildings and the small people walking about the streets. It looked serene.

"I know where my hiding place is now..." I sighed happily that we were already settled in and that tomorrow was finally the day that mom finally let me explore the village. I was as nervous as I was psyched to meet the new places and make new friends.

The sun sank into the horizon and with one last long look at the village, I made my way down the tree, being careful not to slip and plunge down to the ground.

Slowly, my eyes opened to reveal my pale room, the light from outside barely illuminating it's shady corners. I groaned and rolled over, cursing myself for waking up so early. With the blankets wrapped tighter around me I yawned and was just about to close my eyes when a light knock came to my door.

"Come on Abigail, get up. I need to clean the house and I don't want you to get in the way. You can go out to the village anyways." My mom called, I heard her walk away and hesitantly tried to keep my eyes open.

I looked around and grabbed a blue long sleeve and pulled it over my messy tangles and snatched a black v-neck and pulled it on as well. That and a pair of black shorts along with some old shoes.

On the way out my mom handed me a few yen and sent me on my way.

Despite the fact that it was early in the morning, the village was bustling with energy and busy people. Walking in and out of stores and restaurants, with carefree attitude that seemed to come naturally. I suddenly felt awkward just standing there looking at every one in the middle of the sidewalk.

With my face looking at the floor I kept walking deeper and deeper into the village. Suddenly all the noise left me, there was just the whispers of the wind in my ears. My gaze snapped back up and I looked around me. I was in an intersection where I was all alone, leaves fell to the floor and danced along with the wind.

Some sort of panic clenched at my stomach. _Am I lost?_ I swallowed and took a deep breath to calm myself.

"Okay, so I was just walking straight and-"

A loud yell erupted through out, cutting me off. It sounded closer to my left where one of the turns was, on instinct I sprinted in that direction as the shouts and screams began to grow louder and louder. Was there some sort of assault going on here? _I thought this place was safe!_ I grumbled in my head not wanting to deal with violence.

I skidded to a stop, I had reached my destination. It was a small restaurant. My hazel eyes darted around in panic, looking for the defenseless person under attack. The only people around me were three boys that were in the restaurant, and the screaming was coming from two of the boys who were wrestling on the floor.

From what I could see, one of them was blond with a bright orange jumpsuit...and the other was wearing a grayish blue jacket and black spiky hair. They were nearly everywhere, bumping into chairs and nearly running over the small pup that resided at the third boy's feet.

He was different from the other two, I could tell. With a small book in his hand, he scanned the page with pale, white eyes. What an odd eye color. He had hair so long, that it reached mid-back, black in color. He almost looked like a girl!

"Just give it up Naruto! I won already!" one of the wrestling boys laughed as they rolled over and knocked down a chair.

_Isn't there a manager around here somewhere?_ Their fighting was pissing me off, they made me _run _ to see if they were okay, and all they were doing is fighting?

Gaining some courage, I walked up to the bar and called someone

over, the boys payed no attention to me as I made my way around them, I ordered a glass of water.

I glanced over at the pale eyed boy as I waited and I caught him looking at me over his book, then quickly returning to it. I smiled a little bit before turning to the young man behind the bar. The cool glass of water rested in my palm. Nice and cold. With ice cubes dancing in the water gently. The rumbling boys were about to give their last shout because I was about to break them out of their trance.

I walked over to the boys and with a swift glide of my hand, I tipped the cup over and let the water splash all over them. They shouted even more but they let go of each other and rushed to stand up.

"What-"

"The hell?"

The blond and dark haired boy shouted as they shook off the water sending a few droplets flying towards me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the pale eyed boy chuckle in amusement due to my prank; my small smile grew bigger.

"Well you guys were acting like morons and you guys are making a bad impression here." I set the glass down on the bar.

"Like we care!" the boy with the gray-blue jacket scoffed, yanking his hood off revealing shaggy brown hair. He looked odd now that I could see him face to face. He had dark, narrow eyes that glared at me intensely and on his cheeks he had bright red markings.

"You're crazy..." The blond, blue eyed boy muttered cleaning his face, making me focus on whisker like markings on his cheek.

"Naruto lay off, she was doing you guys a favor." The mysterious boy interjected for me; he stood up, and walked over to us. A small heat rush went over my face. _I'm blushing! _My hands rushed to cover my red face.

"Wha- did you see what she did?" Naruto shrilled.

"Yeah, no wonder she's an outsider Neji." Kiba chimed in.

_So Neji is it? Nice...wait what?_

"I said, lay off. Besides she's new here, the best thing to do is to show her around instead of making her think that this village is full of idiots."

The boys mumbled under their breath walking away, leaving only us two. A qualm took over my stomach, I couldn't even look up at him.

"Would like for me to show you around, or will you be okay on your own?" Neji asked. "So what did you say your name was again?"

"Abby..." I replied simply.

"Well Abby, I would like to personally thank you for stopping those two morons. They were driving me insane!" We both laughed in awkward unison; awkward but somehow pleasant.

**Neji**

"So I hear we're getting a new team member." Tenten punched the practice dummy before her. I raised an eyebrow, "Who told you that?"

"Guy Sensei" she replied with a small, somehow flirtatious smile, it made me feel uneasy.

"Well yes, we are receiving a new member, so be on your best behavior." I aid sternly, her smile vanished, she rolled her eyes and walked away muttering 'whatever'.

The sun rolled on by until it was right over our heads, I wouldn't admit it but I was itching to know who was going to be our new team member. It would be nice if it was some one whom I could have a smart, sensible conversation.

I can't talk with Tenten because she'll think that I want something to do with her like she does with me, and I can't have a conversation with Rock Lee with out it turning into something random. Don't get me wrong, I would rather talk with Rock Lee any day than deal with Tenten's obvious flirting.

Anyway, it was noon and everyone knew what time it was. Lunch time. All the starving kids ran to the nearest ramen shop and sat down to eat. I sat down further away from the commotion, placing my fresh sushi bento down on the table. The first piece of unagi entered my mouth when Rock Lee came over.

"Hey!" He pointed his thumb behind him. "Gai Sensei is calling us up, something about the new team member." He shrugged dragging me with him and Tenten.

Lee nudged me in the rib cage with his elbow and leaned in to whisper, "She's kinda cute."

"Excuse me?"

"The new team member, it's a girl...and she's not half bad her self." he smirked, I rolled my eyes.

We reached Gai, not too far from the ramen shop, Tenten was already right in front of him I just didn't see any other girl nearby.

"I have your new member," He moved to the side and revealed a shy-ish looking girl. Her choppy, chestnut hair hovered over her shoulders, sharp auburn eyes glancing at each of us behind clear lenses. I had seen this girl before!

**Abby**

My eyes went wide when I saw the pale eyed boy standing before me. Next to him there was a guy with a resemblance to the sensei with a smug smile on his face and another girl with a firm face, her brown hair was tied into two neat buns on her head.

"This is Abby, your new team member." Gai placed his firm hand over my shoulder and nudged me forward. "I want you guys to help her in whatever she needs and be nice" He finished gruffly before turning around and walking away. I stood there speechless, still looking at the boy. What were the odds right?

"Hey, my name is Rock Lee, but you can call me Lee." The other boy with the striking resemblance to our sensei smooth-talked.

"I'm Abby, nice to...uh meet you." I stammered, forcing out my hand to him even I didn't want to. The girl just smiled at me and told me her name, Tenten. Finally I came to Neji who displayed a small smile on his lips.

"Well this is odd isn't it?" he smiled. I returned the smile and nodded shyly. Gai sensei was already walking away with another man sporting silver white hair that seemed to defy gravity.

"So Abby, want to wander around? I can show you the most exclusive places of this town where only the cool kids hang out." His bizarre eyebrows wiggled up, a massive giggle came up my throat but I suppressed it and smiled politely.

"How would you know Lee? You aren't even one of the cool kids." Tenten scoffed and rolled her eyes. This time I did break down laughing, using Tenten's comeback as an excuse to do so. Rock Lee blushed and cowered in place.

"Well, Neji kinda already showed me around...but thanks for the offer Rock Lee." I breathed after I regained my composure, he looked at me with an embarrassed smile before muttering, "It's okay..."

"So," Tenten began. "You say that Neji showed you around? How can that be you barely met."

"I came here a few days ago, and I ran into him." I explained simply. She nodded, and waved me goodbye.

_What's her problem?_

_Five in the morning~_

_ I don't want to wake up! Why must we have to meet up so early?_

Eventually I got up and shoved a shirt over my head, then I trudged downstairs where my mother was waiting for me with breakfast. She looked up and smiled at me while stirring the eggs. I raised an eyebrow and cautiously sat in my seat.

"Good morning." She muttered, taking out plates. A good morning came out of my lips. Mother wasn't this kind, especially on mornings like these.

"Breakfast is done, you should eat." She smiled setting three porcelain plates before me. _Wait three?_

"What's the third bowl for?" I asked growing even more and more suspicious by the second. My mom looked over my shoulder and smiled, I turned and saw Neji smiling back at my mother. Startled, I jumped out of my seat letting out a girlish squeal and hitting my head on the kitchen counter above me.

"Careful" Neji murmured checking to see if I was okay. "We need you to be alright when we get there."

I nodded turning to my mom, and saw a small hint of a glare in her eyes as if telling me to control myself in front of the guest. In silence we ate the breakfast and soon Neji told me that he was instructed to come and escort me to my first meeting with my team. I was shaking a little on the inside as Neji and I walked in the murky darkness.

"So why is your house so far and deep into the fields?" Neji finally asked, small white puffs came out of his mouth with every word.

"What? Oh, uh I don't know..." It took me a while to realize that he was talking to me so I was trying to go back and remember what he said. "My mom and I were low on money and we needed to move from the place we used to live in."

Neji looked at my face and I guess that something tipped him off that I didn't want to talk about that so he just looked off into the direction where the sun was rising, nodding in understanding. That was good, he wasn't one of those who try to pry you open and learn your every secret.

"Welcome to your first training Abigail." Gai-sensei smiled and propped his fists on his waist. Tenten, Rock Lee, and Neji were standing in line, arms crossed.

"We start with the basics today, your new team mates can help you but you will be tested on your ability in three weeks so you'd better try hard." He said sternly but with a smile on his face. He stepped back and then came closer.

"Don't you have to see what chakra she has?" Rock Lee asked, Gai-sensei was about to answer when I just looked up at him and from my hands formed a small water ball.

"No need to, I obtain water chakra." I muttered, letting the water freeze up before letting it fall on the floor and shatter.

"Good, at least we now know your abilities." Gai smiled and clapped his hands together, getting ready for practice.

Hours of vigorous training later, the sun was out and shining brightly and the village looked a little more lively than earlier in the morning. I was tired and worn out by lunch time and I could barely make my way to the shade.

"God this is too much for me..." I panted looking at the floor trying so hard not to topple over. Neji, Tenten, and Lee, stood by me waiting for me to recover.

"Are you fit to go grab something to eat?" Tenten asked. I looked up and nodded at her as she and Rock Lee helped me up.

_ "So what are you thinking of your first day of training?" _many of the kids of the village asked me, just wanting to break the ice. Some of them were really nice and they were sympathetic towards my feelings of fatigue others just told me that it would get easier and leave. Maybe this time, I won't have to go away.

The ocean breeze brushed all over my hair as I crouched on the sea shore. The wet sand lingered between my toes as I picked at the small fragments of washed up rocks and sea shells. We were all sent here for a vacation for a few days, it was getting too warm for us to be training and we were staying at a beach house nearby.

Hinata shrieked, "It's too c-cold!" as Kiba gripped her from the waist and swung her around in the water as she desperately tried to climb onto his shoulders away from the water. Naruto, Lee, and Kankuro were fooling around in the water, trying to piss Temari and Sakura off, Choji was watching them standing where the water reached his mid-calf, and Ino, Shikamaru, Sauske, Sai, Neji, Tenten and I stayed away from the water, simply enjoying the fresh ocean breeze.

"What are you doing?" Neji startled me nearly making me drop the variety of rocks and tiny sea shells in my hands.

"I was just uh...collecting rocks and stuff..." I smilled shoving the handful of items for him to observe with his pale eyes.

"That's nice, you know this one goes with your swim suit." His thin fingers reached for a pale turquoise rock that was about an eighteenth of an inch thick and it had a small hole in the middle. I stared down at my swimsuit that was peeking out of the black, transparent v-neck that I was wearing.

"You're right," I smiled and held it up with my free hand. "If you put a thread through that it might even make a nice necklace." I mulled and looked up at Neji who was smiling at me. I smiled back and quickly looked down at the pile of shells and rocks that I had collected, setting them down near the water so they could be washed away with the tide.

Silence hovered but not for long, Neji held his hand out and asked, "Want to go for a walk?" I looked around me, realized I had nothing better to do, and grabbed his hand.

"Sure."

The sun was sinking into the horizon, marking the sunset and making it seem as if it were taking a plunge into the sea. So beautiful. The rays of tangerine-orange light spread across the ocean's deep, blue surface and it rippled with every wave racing towards the foamy shore.

"It's nice that the Gai and Kakashi decided to bring us here for a small vacation." Neji thought aloud.

"Yeah, I mean all the training in the middle of the summer heat was getting to the point of unbearable." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"You are right." Neji paused for a moment, looked around and decided that he wanted to rest on this huge boulder that was a few feet away from the ocean. I looked down at the stone in my hands and gripped it tightly, silently wishing that I wouldn't make my self look a fool as I walked over and sat next to Neji. Okay yes, so maybe I was crushing on Neji a little. He is one of the smartest people in this village and he actually takes interest into what I do.

But then there was Tenten, who we all knew that she likes Neji. Sometimes when Neji and I go off to do something for a mission or just to hang out she seems to manage to tag along to get two things done; get in between Neji and I, and get to flirt endlessly with him. It gets to be extremely annoying.

"Abby, can I say something?" Neji asked nervously rubbing the back of his neck. I pushed my glasses up and turned to look at him, "Sure." I said.

"Well it's been a while since you've gotten here and well you're the only person I can talk to..." I looked at the stone in my hand then back at Neji, his cheeks were redder than usual. He was blushing!

"Hey Neji! Abby!" Shikamaru called out. "We're having a campfire or something, Kakashi is calling for everyone."

"Yeah, we'll be there!" I called back. Shikamaru gave a nod and jogged back over to where everything was going to happen. I turned back to Neji to see that his cheeks returned to their pale, cool tone. "Sorry what else were you saying?"

Neji looked at me, then down at his hands which were curled up into tight fists. "That's all." He sighed and stood up.

"Oh" I muttered lamely.

"Yeah, hey come on let's head over to the bonfire with everyone else!" Neji's voice sounded lighter.

_I shouldn't be upset..._

I thought as I trudged on behind him.

I tossed and I turned not being able to sleep despite the fact that it was half past two in the morning. The girls were all asleep in their beds and I seemed to be the only one that was awake.

At first I kept telling my self that it was something I ate that was unsettling my stomach but the little flashbacks in my head from the campfire reminded me that I barely ate anything.

Everyone was laughing and sharing spooky stories and such with s'mores in their hands while I just laughed here and there. Most of the time I was focusing on Neji who seemed to hold the same expression I was until we met eyes and he slapped a smile back on his lips.

Something was terribly odd in the way we were talking earlier and the more I thought about the possiblilities of his sudden mood change, the more angry I got. The sheets were ripped off my legs and I placed my feet on the cool floor. Careful not to make any sudden noises, I swaggered around the room in darkness leaving me groping for the exit.

"Abby?" I heard a small voice call me out from the dark before I was even out of the room. _It's either Hinata or Tenten._ I whirred around, shutting the door behind me again.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Where are you going?" It was Tenten.

"I was uhm...gonna go for a walk." I said simply. I walked deeper into the room and saw that she was tucked into one of the corners of the balcony that allowed a view of the ocean. The door was open ajar and salty ocean breeze blew in the room. _How did I not notice that?_ I thought to my self as I drew closer to her.

"Couldn't sleep huh?" She asked with a small smile that I was barely able to see with the very little light that was granted from the thin silver of moon above us.

"Not really I-"

"I could hear you tossing and turning." she giggled making her loose hair sweep along her shoulders. An embarrassed flush covered my cheeks and ears when she said that. "Come take a sit, let's talk since we can't sleep." She patted a seat next to her gingerly. I hesitated but her tone of voice made it hard to just say no. In that drowsy, sweet voice of hers that she was using, lied an implicit threat.

A few moments of silence went by, then a minute before I heard her take in a breath and start talking to me.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure..." I remembered Neji telling me this earlier.

"Well I don't want to ruin this peaceful atmosphere that we're having right now, but I just _have_ to tell you this." She sat up straight, positioned her forearms on her thighs, and leaned forward to look at me. Even though I couldn't see her, I could tell that something had changed. With the very little light there was I saw something wicked in her that went great with her freaky smile.

"I know that you like Neji."

A gasp got stuck in my wind pipe making me cough and hack, I tried to cover my mouth to muffle the noise so the others wouldn't wake up. "What?" I breathed in correctly this time.

"You know very well what I said and what I mean. Don't play dumb," She hissed shooting straight up and she began pacing. "Now listen I've-"

"Tenten I don't think that you should be staying up this late, it's making you delusional." I tried to cover up cooly. Apparently that didn't work so well because Tenten only scoffed and ran a hand through her hair.

"I said listen to me! I wasn't finished." She snarled. I winced, this girl was starting to freak me out. "Before you rudely interrupted I was going to say that I have been nice to you about everything. Going out with Neji, teaming up with him when we went on missions, even he traded me as his training partner for you! But now, I can see that you won't co-operate with me as I'd hoped."

Tenten's anger was seeping out of her like a river, non-stop and it was starting to both scare me and piss me off.

"Well okay, yes I like Neji, Tenten. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he likes me back." I retorted before another stupidity fell from her mouth. Planting my feet firmly on the floor I stood up, she took a step back.

"Well-"

"That's what I thought." I snapped a little harsher than intended, this time she winced and I carried out the confident look. "Stop being so neurotic." and with that I snaked back through the room and left the room like I had planned in the first place.

I was almost to the beach when I heard a muffled boom somewhere within the little vicinity where we were staying. An ominous feeling blanketed me suddenly as I saw an explosion go off in the left wing of the hotel.

My eyes widened with shock as I dashed back over there fearing the worst. The boys were residing in the left wing.

**Neji**

Calm one second. Disaster the next.

I lay in bed thinking over and over how stupid I was just to let Abby go like that.

_'Sorry what else were you saying?'_

_'That's all.'_

_'Oh'_

_ "_How could I be so daft!" I growled under my breath. I let silence cover me for a moment before I heard a thud echo along the building. Something was not right, I could feel it. But before it was too late for me to do anything about it. Bright orange flames came roaring at us all. Blowing the whole place into bits. I hit the wall harshly for the explosion had been a strong one.

"IS EVERY ONE OKAY?" I heard Gai sensei calling out, his response: crackling of the fire and a few somehow reassuring moans.

I looked up to see what caused the attack and could barely see anything. The guys were starting to get up and leave to safety. I tried to move, but I couldn't. My eyes went wide when I realized this. Not even with all my willpower could I move. The only thing I could move was my eyes and my head just a little bit. _Am I paralyzed?_ I thought in sheer horror seeing as if I couldn't move, no one would find me and I would burn to death in here.

"Hello?" I heard Gai call again, doing a double check. _Maybe he can't see me but he can hear me._ I thought, opening my mouth to let him know that I was still in the crumbling room. To my immense horror, he didn't hear me. Nothing-not a noise-came out of my mouth. I was completely mute.

_Wh-what the hell is going on?_

The sound of wood burning and crackling came closer and the heat of the flames were getting closer as well. In the distance I heard something else, it was faint but I clearly made out what it was and what it was saying.

"Neji!" Abby exclaimed.

_Abby..._

**Abby**

The qualm in the pit of my stomach wouldn't ease up. I sprinted as fast as my legs would allow.

"Gai! Where are you?" I shouted through the halls, shoving past people that had been woken up by the loud disturbance. "Excuse me! Move!" I barked at whoever refused to get out of my way. Finally I reached my group where the boys had moved into the room with the girls and the leaders were together making a head count. I scanned the room, no Neji.

"Abby!" Kurenai called for me. Her dark red eyes reflecting anger and frustration. "Where the hell where you?" She shouted some more. I bowed and muttered a rushed apology.

"Where's Neji?" I asked.

Her eyes widened, "He's not here, Gai, Shikamaru, and Kiba went after him." She reported.

I nodded and spun around to go looking for them. Kurenai called after me, telling me to stay with them and exit the building in a group. But I wouldn't, If I was in the same situation I know that Neji would have gone looking for him. Whether he liked me or not wasn't a problem right now.

The fire department had arrived already and they were trying to put the water out, spraying the affected wing of the building with water. Although it seemed like the flames weren't going down.

I pushed a few more escaping people aside and made it to the entrance of the left wing. I halted to a stop when I saw two broad shouldered men covering the entrance.

"The safe zone's that way little lady." One of the men said gruffly pointing a thick finger in the direction I came from.

Normally, I would have tried to talk them into letting me pass but there was no time. Behind them, far into the hallway I saw a roof tile fall to the floor. I jumped up high, and kicked both of them with one clean swipe, they fell to the floor unconscious and I ran forward.

"Neji!" I called out, making quick stops at each open door. The heat was intense and the smoke started nipping at my eyes making them water. "Neji! Are you here?" There was a wall in front of me, meaning the end of the hallway. He couldn't be anywhere else because this was the only hallway where the boys would be sleeping.

I huffed out air, not a good idea seeing as I had only a limited amount of fresh air, and I ran into the room on my left. Wood crumbled above me threatening to fall at any second and probably block my exit so I had little time.

The flames reached out at me from counter tops like wispy fingers, my shirt caught fire once but I managed to put it out before it spread.

"Neji!"

"Abby!"

I spun around hoping to see Neji but all I saw was Shikamaru covering his nose and mouth with his hand.

"Shikamaru, where's Neji?"

" I don't know, we're looking for him." He explained digging through his pocket quickly and handed me a mask, to cover the smoke from my nose and mouth. "Put this on and get out now, don't worry about Neji or us. We'll find him and head out as soon as possible."

The mask covered everything when I put it on and I somehow breathed easier. But I wasn't about to leave. Water from outside splashed on us through the holes formed into the wall.

"What are you doing? Get-" Shikamaru didn't get to finish his sentence, above us a weak piece of wood fell in between us, leaving him with the exit and me trapped inside the damned room.

"Abby! I'll go get help!" He shouted before dashing off. I looked around and realized maybe this wasn't a very well thought out plan. The room started spinning and suddenly I was looking up at the roof. Sprawled on the floor I looked around the room when something caught my eye. Beneath rubbish and tangled, burning bed sheets that were once white, now speckled with blood from the poor victim lying on the floor across from me.

Long, ivory hair.

Eyes of pure white, screaming silently with fear.

Neji.

We stared at each other with the same facial expressions I regained my senses and crawled over to him on my hands and knees.

"Neji..." I whispered coarsely, taking off the mask and putting it on him. I inspected him, and saw that there was nothing on him to be holding him down. Why was he not moving? Why didn't he move? My answer came in a quick whoosh of heat and winds some water sprinkled inside from the hose outside.

"He can only see you, but he won't be moving any time soon unless I allow it." A vaguely familiar voice called out within the flames. My eyes zipped up to where the door entrance would be and saw three tall figures standing right over the flames.

I focused more and more on them and realized it was Itachi from the Akatsuki!

"What the-what have you done to him?" I yelled and coughed, the smoke was unbearable. Itachi stepped forward and reached for a kunai under his coat while initiating his Sharingan at the same time.

"You have something I want." Itachi smiled cruely._ What the fuck is he talking about?_

"I would let you in on the whole background story but that would just waste time and I want to get out of here as soon as I can." He continued. "I am going to repeat this once more...for your sake. You are my sister Abigail, and you have something I want." He said darkly before this pain went surging through me. Like a poison starting at my feet and traveling rapidly up my veins.

I yelled, not being able to handle the pain and crumbled down to the floor. My eyes were in pain that made me claw at the floor. I opened them and all I saw was red. Red all over. I knew it wasn't the flames because I looked at Neji and he looked red too. Not only that his eyes resembled fear and shock.

"Stop it!" I shrieked in pain, afraid, and angry.

"Almost done...don't worry." Itachi reassured me in disgust.

"It's hurting me! STOP!"

**Neji**

I saw Abby fall to the floor with a thud and then a few seconds later her screams filled the room. Screams that made me want to scream as well. It was painful to watch Abby squirm and claw and cry at Itachi for him to stop.

Rage filled me, but try as I might I couldn't move. Itachi was too powerful for me to do anything for the very girl I loved. What surprised me even more was her eyes, how they looked when she turned to look at me.

Bright red, vivid and some kind of evil swimming within them. When the pain seemed to be at it's worst(when she was screaming the loudest) she teared up and instead of the liquid being clear, blood rolled down her cheeks. Blood!

"Don't worry soon I'll have it, don't worry." Itachi shushed her, kicking her in the side to shut her up. Immense rage filled my whole body but not even that could make my body move. I was feeling more and more useless by the moment.

"What is it that you—want?" Abby hissed, staggering to her feet. Itachi then leaned forward and pinned her against the wall and looking straight into her eyes with his sharingan. I looked at Abby's eyes and saw that she too had a sharingan! That meant that she had to be an Uchiha as well.

"NEJI!"

"ABBY!" I heard voices from the other side of the barricade of cackling lumber.

"Stand back!" A voice, similar to Tenten's, shouted. A sudden boom echoed through out what was left of the room and Itachi bounced back into one corner of the room. Abby fell on the floor from the impact of the small explosion.

I realized that I could move my body, Itachi was distracted for a brief moment and I had regained my mobility. I rushed up to Abby, and examined her. She was breathing, but judging by her shallow breaths she wouldn't have long.

At the opening there was Tenten, Shikamaru, and Gai sensei looking in and trying to hold Itachi back.

"I won't leave until I get what I want! I've been waiting for this for too damn long!" Itachi roared. One second he was in the corner of the room, he was tugging Abby by the neck the next holding a kunai at her neck lightly tracing the skin.

"Let her go you bastard!" I heard the words coming out of my mouth and soon I activated my byakugan.

Itachi disappeared from behind Abby and appeared behind me, kicking me hard as I fell to the floor I heard Abby yelling at Itachi and Gai telling me to come with him. The flames hadn't diminished despite the showers of water coming from outside. Itachi stood a few feet away from me and the entrance.

"Neji, get over here! Stop being stupid!" Tenten cried. I felt something grab at my arms and pull me up. It was Shikamaru dragging me back against my will but I felt so weak from Itachi paralyzing me earlier.

"What about Abby?" I roared squirming to get out of Shikamaru's grasp. I was freed but understanding that Gai didn't want two students to get harmed, I stayed with them.

Shikamaru did a few hand signs and he initiated his shadow-neck binding technique on Itachi. It worked...for a little while, then soon he broke it off pulling at Abby's hair nearly dangling her like a rag doll. She squealed. I clenched my jaw tighter to avoid driving my fists into the bastard's throat.

"Try harder dammit!" Tenten hissed at Shikamaru as she took out her scrolls and threw Kunais at Itachi, barely missing Abby as he dodged around the vacant room.

"Watch it Tenten!" I lunged forward as fast as I could, in an attempt to at least making him lose his grip on her.

But he zoomed around throwing Kunais at me as I chased him around, it slowed me down but that didn't stop me from following him through the flaming mouth at the entrance and out into the burning hallway. Behind me I heard Shikamaru, Tenten and Gai trying to keep up their paces echoing throughout the hall.

"Piece of shit!" Abby shouted and cussed some more at Itachi who was only getting angrier and impatient.

Itachi skidded to a stop and turned on us, Abby hanging in one arm looped through the inside of his arm like she was a sack of rice.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" He shouted a huge fire ball came charging at us leaving us diving into the flames.

"Fuck this, we can't just let him lead us around." Tenten snarled as she took her scrolls and handled them in one hand. "Shikamaru, do you think that you'll be able to hold itachi in place for at least a minute?" She asked sternly.

Shikamaru stared at her as if telling her not to belittle his abilities and nodded. Gai, concerned at whatever Tenten may be planning now looked in and took a hold of her shoulder.

"I think what we're about to do may work." She replied. Gai didn't look so convinced but he took out a kunai to be ready at hand as we ran forward.

_What is it that Tenten is planning?_

We managed to catch up with Itachi, judging by Abby's shrill screams the pain wasn't over. Tenten wasted no time, she shouted at Shikamaru commanding him to start up his Shadow-neck binding technique. Itachi stood in place, we all avoided eye contact with his sharingan. Tenten placed her two scrolls before her. Swift hand signs followed and then I knew what she was doing. The Twin Rising Dragons technique.

"Tenten wait! I know you're experienced but still if you don't concentrate you might hit Abby!" Gai shouted realizing the same I had. Tenten paid no attention to us she flew into the air after her scrolls which twisted and turned into the flaming ceiling.

"Tenten stop! Don't risk it!" I shouted. I saw something in her eyes, she knew very well in what kind of danger he was putting Abby in and she wouldn't stop. "STOP YOU'LL KILL HER!" I shouted just a little too late, Gai tried to stop her throwing Kunais at the scrolls but to our left Shikamaru crashed to the ground unconscious and Itachi broke loose.

The weapons went flying from Tenten's scrolls with just a flick of her hand, like a sharp metal shower hitting both Abby and Itachi.

"NO!"

**Abby**

The red was starting to clear up but the pain was still there hovering around my body like a phantom. Itachi still had me in his arms and I could hear Gai and Neji warning Tenten about something I couldn't see clearly, I felt weak and I barely had the energy to keep my eyes open. Itachi had stopped moving and he froze in place.

"...YOU'LL KILL HER!" I heard Neji shout just before a boom was heard and a surge of metal and sparks from fire came flying towards Itachi and I. I felt a pain stabbing me somewhere in my body. I would have been able to determine where exactly it hit me but my body was nearly numb with pain already. That was it, the last thing I remember was falling to the floor the flames around me the last thing I saw.

I don't know why, but I had the feeling that I was dead.

**Two weeks later; Neji**

"Hello Neji." The kind nurse from behind the counter beamed when I walked through the doors. I smiled back and returned the greeting. "Are you here for your bandages?" She asked.

"No," I shook my head. "I can manage fixing them at home. If it's okay..." I motioned my hand towards the hallway that lead deeper into the rooms with the patients residing in them. The nurse blinked her light brown eyes and nodded with a smile.

"You're so sweet." the nurse called out as I made my way into the hallway. I looked at my bandages and coughed lightly, considering whether I should check how I'm doing. We took in a lot of smoke from the fire. After Itachi managed to escape with at least some injuries, Gai went after him with Kurenai leaving us in Kakashi's care as we rushed on our way back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Funny thing was, as soon as Itachi left, the flames were able to be put out; it was like he was controlling the mirage of the fire. So far we haven't heard anything about Itachi.

I stopped by the cream colored door and knocked lightly before stepping in. It was dead quiet, thinking she was asleep, I crept into the room slowly and quietly.

"I know you're there." Her raspy-ish voice called out with a little smile. I smiled thankful that she was awake and I walked faster over to her.

Her soft, light brown eyes gleamed when I took a seat in a small space on her hospital bed. "How are you feeling Abby?" I asked returning the smile. Out of all of us, she was the one that went through the most; she had to battle with her Sharingan awakening inside her(apparently she was an Uchiha and not even she knew it), and like Gai and I predicted, she got hit with a few of Tenten's weapons. Something that I will not forget, and even though she apologized saying how she didn't plan on hitting Abby and we forgave her...I am still angered that she didn't listen to us and went ahead and put Abby's life in more risk than it already was.

"I'm just fine, you know the doctor said that I would be able to leave tomorrow afternoon." She said excitedly. I could tell that she just wanted to get out of here. I moved my fingers up to her forehead to brush a few chesnut strands out of her face.

"Has the...sharingan caused you any troubles lately?" I asked cautiously. She scrunched up her face.

"No, my eyes are itchy from time to time. But that's about it, Kakashi came in earlier and said that he would show me how to use it if I was willing. Sauske said that he would help too," she paused and looked up at the ceiling for a bit. "but I think that Kakashi dragged him into this. I don't know, maybe Sauske is being nice for once." We both laughed together.

"I guess what we were running away from this whole time was Itachi, I don't exactly know how I am part of the Uchiha clan, much less Itachi, but my mother refuses to tell me more than I already know. She did tell me one thing, I possess Lucifer Sharingan, and Itachi wanted it." Abby cleared her throat in a more serious tone.

We talked some more enjoying each other's company. Hinata, Kiba, and Akamaru came in to check on Abby but left soon after saying that they had a date and they wished for Abby to be released tomorrow like she had said.

"Abby..." I started, I knew what I was going to say. This time, I had to simply tell her, wasting my time and not telling her anything seemed completely useless. I loved Abby. Besides I was pretty sure Lee already opened his yap and told her anyways. But I wanted her to know from me.

"Hmm?"

"When we were talking on the beach the other day, I didn't finish what I wanted to tell you." I started, looking at her in the eyes. It didn't scare her, to look in my eyes I mean, it's like she knew how to decipher what I feel by just looking into them. Abby didn't think that I was 'heartless' even if I almost killed my own cousin. But that was long ago.

"I thought you-"

"I know what I said, and I lied to you. Trust me Abby, that was the last time I lied to you." Abby looked confused at the moment and I didn't think that I could tell her anymore...

...So I showed her.

**Abby**

I wasn't trying to get my hopes up, in fear of the beach incident happening once again. But Neji suddenly turned a light pink as he started telling me that, then he got quiet. Anxiously, I fingered the stone that Neji and I found on the beach(which I turned into a necklace). We stared at each other for a little before something that would change my relationship with Neji forever.

I felt his lips brush against mine softly. I closed my eyes and he reached for my hand squeezing it lightly. We parted and I looked at him baffled.

"I love you..." Neji blushed rubbing his neck nervously. As if expecting me to laugh at him. But I didn't I just leaned in again and kissed him.


End file.
